Saydee Longhurst meets consumers where they are, and that means having an active presence on social media. Ask any of her 27,000 followers on TikTok, and they will tell you Longhurst provides an honest, everyday view of agriculture.
This vibrant young woman grew up on a farm near Shelley, Idaho, with her parents, Steven and Robyn, and her brother, Logan. Her father is a first-generation farmer who has “dirt, red tractors and the Pittsburgh Steelers in his DNA,” jokes his daughter. They farm about 3,000 acres of alfalfa and wheat and have only ever had Case IH equipment, including a Case IH combine, several Magnum tractors and other Case IH equipment. Saydee learned how to bale hay with a Farmall 1066 tractor. She takes an active role in the farm operation, but her story doesn’t begin there.
“For us as a farm, we really appreciate the [Case IH] equipment we use and,” she adds with a smile, “it makes my photos look great. We also appreciate having a brand that aligns with our values – we recognize the importance they put on ‘built by farmers,’ and we see that in all we do on our farm.”
The FFA Experience
Longhurst’s involvement in FFA during high school opened new doors for her. J.B. Hoge was a district advisor for the South Upper Snake FFA District in Idaho, and he saw her passion for FFA and agriculture. That support allowed her to flourish and take the next steps toward becoming a state officer. She was chosen president of the Idaho FFA and took a gap year after high school to fulfill her many officer responsibilities.
“I started with social media during that gap year,” she recalls. “A lot of people in my small town didn’t even know what being a state FFA officer meant because no one had even tried for a role like that in more than 30 years.
“During that year as a state officer, I would document what I was doing online through Instagram, so followers would know what a chapter visit looked like, what a business and industry tour was, or what it was like to go to the state capital and talk about youth in agriculture,” she continues. “I’d share those photos on Instagram and get good engagement.”
That experience actually piqued her interest in agricultural education.
“My plan before that was to go into agri-business and come back to the farm, but I enjoyed learning how to teach others about agriculture and really found my passion,” she says.
From Idaho to Italy
Longhurst attended Utah State, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education. As part of a cooperative undergraduate program, she was able to go to Milan, Italy, and teach in an agricultural school, specifically comparing Italian and American alfalfa production. She shared her experiences in Europe on TikTok and continued to build her online audience.
She completed a master’s degree in agricultural education with a focus on social media usage by a high school ag ed teacher, and presently, Longhurst works full-time on the farm and does social-media consulting on the side during the winter months. She runs the social media pages for the local school district and also for a local recreation district site. She also manages social media for the National Center for Agricultural Literacy, which is housed at Utah State University.
Hands-On and Online
Longhurst has her own hay business called Cleo’s Cuttings, which began in high school as an FFA Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) project. She produces small bales from hay purchased from her dad while in the windrow and makes 18-bale bundles to sell. She also bales and runs the grain cart for her dad and does some irrigation work in Idaho, where most of the ground is either under pivot with pipe or flood irrigated.
After visiting many high schools throughout the state, she knew that just because a student was enrolled in an ag class didn’t mean they grew up on a farm or ranch.
“That got me interested in teaching people about agriculture,” she says. “It evolved into taking what I enjoy about teaching into an online format through social media and documenting what it is that we do.
“Folks don’t have to come out to a farm – they can see it online,” she adds. “One thing I enjoy sharing on my platform is that agriculture is for everybody – we’re all agriculturalists, and we all eat every day. Everyone plays a role – that’s a pretty unique thing in our industry, and it’s super cool!”
Honest Documentation
Longhurst and her mom were early adopters of social media, especially with Facebook and Instagram. While the term “influencer” is frequently used online, Longhurst considers herself a documentarian and creator rather than an influencer.
“We don’t get caught up in how many people are following – it’s more about what I would want to see personally online,” she notes.
She enjoys sharing her adventures on the farm and all facets of agriculture, including an “Ag Fact Friday” that she’s produced for seven-plus years. Since she first started posting her photos and thoughts online, Longhurst is committed to keeping the messaging as authentic as possible.
